Dancing figure.



W. J. NIGKERSON.

' mncme FIGURE.

APPLICATION IILED'JUNE 6, 1911.

1,023,589. Patented Apr. 16,- 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTBE.

WILLIAM JOSEPH NICKERSON, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

DANCING FIGURE.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. NICKER- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Dancing Figure, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved dancing figure, adapted to be manually actuated or used on the keyboard of a piano, organ or other key-actuated musical instrument, to cause the articulated members of the dancing figure to move on playing certain of the keys and in rhythm with the music produced.

For the purpose mentioned, use is made of a support, a jointed dancing figure mounted on the support, and actuating means mounted on the support and connected with some of the movable members of the dancing figure.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a front elevation of the dancing figure in position on a keyboard; Fig. 2 is an enlarged face view of the dancing figure; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the dancing figure with the support omitted; Fig. 4 is an edge view of the dancing figure, parts being in section. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and, Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the keyboard of a piano and the lower portion of the figure.

As illustrated in the drawings, a suitably constructed support A is preferably provided at its bottom with notches B adapted to fit sundry of the black keys C of the keyboard C for a piano, organ, or a similar key-actuated musical instrument B. The side walls of the notches B clampingly engage the sides of black keys C, so as to hold the support A in position on the keyboard, as plainly indicated in Figs. 1 and 6. On the support A is arranged a pivot E engaged by the body F of a figure F of any approved construction, and such, for instance, as shown in the drawings, in which the figure is a caricature of a human being, and consists, besides the body portion F, of a head F arms F and legs F having their lower portions F pivotally connected to the upper portions. When the legs are-in nor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 6, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912. Serial No. 631,584.

mal position, as indicated in Fig. 2, then the feet rest on a platform G arranged on the front face of the support A. The head F 2 and the arms F are pivoted on the support A and are pivotally connected with the body F. The upper ends of the legs F 4 are pivoted on the face of the support A and are engaged by transversely-extending pins H extending through slots A formed in the plate A in the rear of the body F. The rear ends of the pins H are attached to rods H extending downward and slidingly engaging bearings I on the rear face of the support A. The lower ends of the rods H rest on sundry of the white keys C of the keyboard C, so that when the said white keys are played a down and up sliding movement is given to the rods H whereby a swinging motion is given to the legs F 4 of the dancing figure. The rear face of the body F of the dancing figure F is provided on opposite sides with lugs F adapted to be engaged by the legs F on their upward and outward swinging motion, to rock the body portion F, which in turn imparts a sidewise swinging motion to the head F and an up and down swinging motion to the arms F As illustrated in Fig. 1, special music can be written for causing the legs F 4 to swing in rhythm with the music.

It is understood that the device may be actuated by an operator working the rods H alternately up and down by hand.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A keyboard attachment, comprising a support having means to engage certain of the keys of said keyboard, an articulated figure mounted on the said support and depending actuating means on the back of the said support and connected with the said figure.

2. A keyboard attachment, comprising a support for attachmentto sundry of the black keys of a keyboard, an articulated figure mounted on the said support, and rods connected with the movable members of the said figure and resting on sundry of the white keys of the keyboard.

3. In combination with a keyboard, an articulated figure, and actuating means connected with a movable part of the figure and controlled by keys of the keyboard.

a. In combination with a keyboard, of a support having notches in engagement with sundry of the black keys of the said keyboard, an articulated figure mounted on the said support, and rods mounted to slide on the said support and connected with the movable members of the said figure, the said rods resting on white keys of the keyboard.

5. A dancing figure, comprising a support, an articulated figure having a body mounted to turn on the said support, a head and arms pivoted on the support and connected with the said body, legs pivoted on the said support, lugs mounted on the said body and adapted to be engaged by the said legs, and means for imparting a swinging motion to the said legs.

6. A dancing figure, comprising a sup port, a figure having a body mounted to turn on the said support a head and arms pivoted on the support and pivotally connected with the said body, legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said supportand made in sections pivotally connected with each other, and actuating rods pivotally connected with the upper ends of the said legs.

7. A dancing figure, comprising a support, a figure having a body mounted to turn on the said support, a head and arms pivoted on the support and pivot-ally connected with the said body, legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said support and made in sections pivotally connected with each other, actuating rods pivotally connected with the upper ends of the said legs, and lugs on the said body for engagement by the said legs to turn the said body and to cause the head to swing sidewise and the arms up and down.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM JOSEPH NICKERSON Witnesses W'M. SEBASTIAN, EDMUND WEGENER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

